On May 20, Midwest Director Tasha Brown testified infront of the Illinois House Financial Institutions and Licensensing Committee on behalf of SB 2234, which would enact critical protections for small business borrowers in Illinois that are falling prey to predatory lending practices.
Illinois Policy Statements
Small Business Majority’s Illinois policy agenda outlines policies that advance and promote equitable pathways for entrepreneurship while centering small businesses as the key to a thriving and inclusive economy. The state’s 1.3 million small businesses employ 2.4 million people (about 44.1% of the private workforce), with firms without employees making up 80% of all owned businesses. Illinois small business owners are navigating workforce shortages, a childcare crisis and the end of a number of pandemic era programs that support entrepreneurship.
On March 28, Small Business Majority's Illinois Director Tasha Brown testified before the Illinois House Financial Institutions and Licensing Committee on behalf of HB 2234, legislation that would enact critical protections for small business borrowers in Illinois.
On March 28, Johnathon Bush, owner of Not Just Cookies provided testimony before the Illinois House Financial Institutions and Licensing Committee on HB 2234, legislation that would extend consumer protections for small business borrowers.
Midwest Director Tasha Brown testifies to express our support for Senate Bill 1912, legislation that will provide the Department of Insurance the authority to reject unreasonable rate increases for health insurance in both the individual and small group markets.
On October 18, 2021, Midwest Region Director Geri Aglipay testified before the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation in support of the Illinois Community Reinvestment Act (IL CRA). This legislation will combat ageism in lending and uplift entrepreneurs of color and women entrepreneurs.
Small Business Majority wrote to Illinois Governor Pritzker in support of HB117, a measure that would expand Illinois Secure Choice so that employers with at least five or more employees may participate and auto-enroll their employees. This is an important step to supporting very small businesses and their employees who are unable to access traditional retirement programs, particularly those who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A year into the pandemic, many small businesses in Illinois continue to struggle to keep their doors open. While government funding programs have provided a crucial lifeline for many businesses, one-off funding opportunities are not going to be enough to support the long-term recovery of our small business economy. The proposed Illinois Earned Income Credit (EIC) expansion would help address this by closing the gaps in federal funding relief programs and putting more money into the pockets of low-income and working-class Illinoisans.
Small Business Majority wrote to the Illinois House Personnel & Pensions Committee in support of HB0117, which would expand Illinois Secure Choice so that employers with at least one employee may participate and auto-enroll their employees. This is an important step to supporting very small businesses and their employees who are unable to access traditional retirement programs, particularly those who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Small Business Majority submitted a letter of support to Chairman Gerg Harris (IL-D) on HB 4094, which would extend short-term, limited duration health insurance from the current 181 days to 365 days with the chance to renew coverage for up to three years.